Liquid-supply-indicating-device switch



July 1, 1930. F. .1. BRANNEN LIQUID SUPPLY iNDICATING DEVICE SWITCH Filed April 8 1925 Snow doc I W Grimm;

Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES- FRANK J. BRANNEN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO LIQUID-SUPPLY-INDICATINGJDEVICE SWITCH Application filed April 8,.

My invention relates to improvements in liquid supply indicating devices, and more particularly to that type or class which are particularly designed and adapted for use in 6 connection with liquid supply tanks or receptacles in automatically indicating or signaling at some suitable exterior point when the supply in the tank or receptacle reaches a predetermined point therein so that the supl ply of liquid may be replenished.

The present embodiment of the invention is particularly designed and adapted for use as an automatic oil and gas reserve indicating and signaling device for use in connection with lubricating oil and gasoline tanks or receptacles used in connection with motor vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, tractors, and the like, as well as in connection with motor boats of various kinds.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a generally improved indicating or signaling device of the type indicated, which will be exceedingly simple in construction, and etlicient in operation, and particularly one having a safety or protected switch of an improved form and arrangement adapted to energize and de-energize the signal lamp circuit at a predetermined point or level of the liquid in the reserve or supply tank,-the parts being so arranged as to prevent the formation of any spark gaps or contacts, and in which the liability to disarrangement or short circuiting is reduced to a minimum.

A further object is the provision of a signaling or indicatin device of the class men: tioned which may lie readily attached to or detached from any ordinary supply tank or receptacle used in connection with 'motor vehicles.

With the above mentioned and other ends inview, the invention consists in thev novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in some of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the-drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a asoline tank of the Fordtype, equipped with a supply 1925. Serial No. 21,571.

indicating or signaling device, constructed in accordance with this invention, the parts being shown in their lamp energizing or signaling positions.

Fig. 2, a side elevation, partly in section, of the attachment or device removed from the fillingopening of the tank and showing the signal lamp and its attachments applied to the instrument board of the automobile.

Fig. 3, a top plan view of the attaching head. the conventional filler cover or cap being removed, as likewise the switch casing or box cover. for the purpose of clearer illustration of the parts.

Fig. 4. a horizontal cross sectional view of the float controlled rotatably mounted switch carrying insulating block and the spaced terminal trunnion members therefor and the insulating terminal binding block, the switch parts being in their open position.

Fig. 5, a fragmentary side elevation of the same, the parts of the rotatably mounted or relatively movable insulatingblock being in their closed position.

Fig. 6, a side elevation of the same in open position.

Fig. 7 a fragmentary rear elevation, partly in vertical section of the insulating terminal binding block carrying the terminal trunnion members for supporting the rotatably mounted float controlled switch carrying member.

Fig. 8, a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit and its connections.

Fig. 9, a vertical sectional view of a selfcontained or adapter form of device designed for application to tanks or receptacles of varying forms and contours.

Similar numerals of reference designate like parts throughout all the figures of the 9 drawings.

The improved device may be used in connection with a liquid supply tank. or receptacle of any convenient form or type. or the purpose of illustration I have shown .my device used in connection with gasoline tanks such as used in connection with automobiles. In Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, I have shown aspecial form of float controlled device adapted to be introduced into the conventional internally threaded filler opening 1, of the fuel tank 1, of the Ford type, and having a threaded supporting head 2, adapted to replace the conventional or ordinary threaded cap 3, said head 2 being provided with a reduced opening 2, and having an internally threaded opening at the top to receive the cap 3. The head or support 2 is preferably provided with a separate housing or casing 2 for the reception of the float controlled relatively movable switch carrying devices 4, said switch housing or casing 2 being preferably provided with a removable lid or cover 2.

The float controlled switch carrying block or device 4 is connected to the float 5 by means,

of a rod or stem 6, and as a means of properly supporting the-float 5 and rod 6 at all times relative to the height of the liquid to be indicated, the head 2 is provided with a tubular body or stem 7, leading downwardly and provided with an open float housing 8.

As a means of providing a switch and switch operating devicewhich will be protected at all times and at the same time be free from spark forming cont-acts or spark forming gaps in the operation of closing and opening the signal circuit, or energizing and tie-energizing the latter as the float reaches predetermined ositions with respect to the desired level of the liquid to be signaled, a relatively movable insulating block 4, is mounted within the housing 2 said block 4 being preferably in the specific form of an oscillatory disc-block mounted upon or by means of spaced terminal axles or trunnions 10, the latterbeing mounted on terminal members or arms 11, of conducting material carried on the insulating block 12. The block '12 is provided with binding osts or screws 13, and the movable disc-bloc 4 is referably formed of insulating material t roughout, as shown.

The terminals of the electric circuit forming wires or conductors 14, leading to the signal lamp 15, may be secured in openings 12, of the insulating block 12, by means of the binding screws 13. It will be seen upon reference terminal axle or trunnion members are spaced apart within a radially extending cavity or receptacle 4* of the oscillatory switch carrying block 4, and as ameans of closing the circuit and ener izing the lamp when the liquid and float reac predetermined positions, such for example,as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings, and of openim the circuit and holding the parts in open or de-energized position, a relatively movable contact element or circuit closing and opening element 16 is arranged in the'radially extending cavity 4!, said element being adapted to be moved toward and from said spaced terminal axle members 10 with the movements of the oscillatory block 4, and-to bridge the space thereto Fig. 4 of the drawings that the fill between when the circuit is closed by the movement of the float and switch carrying block to circuit closing positions. The relatively movable circuit closing and opening element 16 is preferably in the specific form of a suitable supply of mercury, as shown, and the latter is adapted to be moved to the respective positions indicated in accordance with the relative positions of the float and float actuated switch carrying oscillatory insulating block 4.

The signal lamp or source of illumination may be of any suitable and convenient form, such for example,-as the lamp bulb mounted in the socket 15 and carried in the attaching bracket 17 secured, in the present instance, to the instrument board 18, by means of the binding screw 19.

In the attachment or adapter form of device shown .in Fig. 9 of the drawings, the float housing 8 is in the specific form of a receptacle connected directly to a slightly mod1fied form of switch housing or casing 2* carrying the rotatably mounted float controlled switch carrying insulating device or block 4. and the head 2 and float housing 8 are supported by means of a supporting conduit or stem 20 communicating with the bottom of the tank 21 throu h a suitable connection or bushing 21', and it will be obvious that the predetermined position or level of the liquid to be indicated or signaled may be Varied by bending or adjusting the supporting stem 20 or the relative position of the float housing 8 vertically to the tank 21 and its contents.

Havin thus described some of the embodiments 0% my invention, without having attempted to set forth all the 'forms in which it ma be made, or all the modes of its use, whatl claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. In a structure of the character described, including a storage tank having a threaded filler opening, a hollow attaching head, a threaded neck threaded in said threaded filler openin of said tank and provided at its top with the threaded cap of said threaded er opening, said hollow head being provided with a laterally ofl-set switch housin and carrying a tubular stem provided with a float housing extending into said storage tank, a float provided with a rod extending into said switch housing, an oscillatory discblock operated by said rod and float and provided with spaced terminal axles, a liquid contact element carried within and protected by said disc-block and opening and closing contact with said axle members as said discblockis moved to predetermined positions by said float.

2. In a device of the character described, a hollow attaching head provided with a threaded neck adapted to enter the threaded filler opening of a tank and provided at its to with an internally threaded rtion adiipted to receive the ori 'n'al threa ed cap for closing said threaded hollow head bein provided at one side with a switch casing aving a tubular stem extending into said tank and carrying a float housing, a float in the latter provided with a rod extending into said switch casing, an oscillatory disc-block connected to said rod and provided with spaced terminal axle members, an internally arranged li uid contact element carried b said disc-bloc and adapted to open and c ose contact with said axle members as said disc-block is moved to predetermined positions. 4 y

3. In a device of the character described, including a storage tank having a threaded filler opening, an attachin head provided with an externall threade opening adapted to enter the ller opening of a storage tank and provided with an internally threaded opening adapted to receive the cap of the filler opening, said attaching head being provided with a switch housing, a tubular stem carried by said head and provided with a float housing extending into said tank, a float in said float housing provided with a rod extending through said tubular stem into said switch housing, a rotatably mounted switch carrying insulating block in said switch houslng connected to and controlled by said rod and float, spaced terminal axles carrying said rotatably mounted switch carryinginsulating block and mounted on said terminal arms, a liquid contact element car-- ried within said rotatably mounted insulating block. and adapted to make and break contact with said terminal axle members as said float controlled switch is moved to predetermined positions.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

, FRANK J. BRANNEN.

er opening, said 

